Early maritime economy and El Nino events at quebrada tacahuay, peru

The archaeological site of Quebrada Tacahuay, Peru, dates to 12,700 to 12,500 calibrated years before the present (10,770 to 10,530 carbon-14 years before the present). It contains some of the oldest evidence of maritime-based economic activity in the New World. Recovered materials include a hearth, lithic cutting tools and flakes, and abundant processed marine fauna, primarily seabirds and fish. Sediments below and above the occupation layer were probably generated by El Nino events, indicating that El Nino was active during the Pleistocene as well as during the early and middle Holocene.     

Monitoring the temporal changes in herbicide-resistant Amaranthus tuberculatus: a landscape-scale probability-based estimation in Iowa

Background

A landscape-scale probability-based sampling of Iowa soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] fields was conducted in 2013 and 2019; Amaranthus tuberculatus [Moq.] J.D. Sauer seed was collected from 97 random geospatial selected fields. The objectives were to evaluate the prevalence and distribution of herbicide-resistant A. tuberculatus (waterhemp) in soybean fields and evaluate temporal changes over 6 years. Amaranthus tuberculatus seedlings were evaluated for resistance to imazethapyr, atrazine, glyphosate, lactofen and mesotrione at 1× and 4× label rates.

Results

Resistance to imazethapyr, glyphosate, lactofen and mesotrione at the 1× rate increased significantly from 2013 to 2019 and was found in 99%, 97%, 16% and 15% of Iowa A. tuberculatus populations in 2019, respectively. Resistance to atrazine at the 4× rate increased over time; atrazine resistance was found in 68% of populations in 2019. Three-way multiple herbicide-resistant A. tuberculatus was the most frequent and increased significantly to 4× rates from 16% in 2013 to 43% of populations in 2019. All A. tuberculatus populations resistant to HPPD-inhibitor herbicides also were resistant to atrazine.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first probability-based study that presented evolution of A. tuberculatus herbicide resistance over time. The results demonstrated that imazethapyr, atrazine and glyphosate resistance in Iowa A. tuberculatus populations was frequent whereas resistance to lactofen and mesotrione was less frequent. Most Iowa A. tuberculatus populations evolved resistance to multiple sites of action over time. The results of our study are widely applicable given the similarities in weed management practices throughout the Midwest United States. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

The effect of different slaughter methods on the post mortem glycolysis of muscle in lambs

Differences in muscular activity and rates of decline in the pH of the M. longissimus dorsi of lambs subjected to different methods of stunning and slaughter were observed. Lambs electrically stunned by a “head-to-leg” method had significantly lower initial pH values as compared to animals stunned by an electrical “head-only” method, or by captive bolt, or without any form of stunning prior to slaughter. When electrical stunning by a “head-to-leg” method was combined with low voltage (24V) electrical stimulation during slaughter and bleeding, mean pH values declined at the highest rate and fell to approximately 6.0 within two hours of slaughter. This last procedure, therefore, has the potential to greatly reduce times between slaughter and freezing without increasing the risk of cold shortening and the associated toughness of meat.     

Shearing during pregnancy — review of a policy to increase birthweight and survival of lambs in New Zealand pastoral farming systems

Over the past decade, lambing percentages have risen in conjunction with a rise in the percentage of multiple lambs born. Multiple-born lambs are smaller than their singleton counterparts and are particularly susceptible to starvation-exposure. Any technique that can increase the birthweight or thermoregulatory capability, or both, of otherwise lightweight lambs has the potential to substantially increase survival of multiple-born lambs.

In the United Kingdom under housed conditions, shearing during pregnancy has been shown to increase both the birthweight and thermoregulatory capability of newborn lambs. However, shearing during pregnancy under pastoral conditions has failed to consistently affect the newborn lamb’s thermoregulatory capability. In contrast, under New Zealand’s pastoral conditions shearing during pregnancy has been found to increase birthweight, but results have been inconsistent in both magnitude and birth-rank specificity. Increase in feed intake by the dam, types of shearing comb used and changes in gestation length do not explain the variation observed. When studies involving shearing during pregnancy are collated it becomes apparent that there are two criteria that must be met to achieve a birthweight response. Firstly, the dam must have the potential to respond and secondly, the dam must have the means to respond.

Any increase in lamb survival through shearing during pregnancy would be predominantly through an increase in birthweight of otherwise lightweight lambs. However, in the few studies conducted to date, an increase in birthweight has not resulted in a statistically significant increase in survival. For an increase in birthweight to have a positive effect on lamb survival, lambs must be otherwise destined to be born within a birthweight range in which survival rate is below optimum (<4.0 kg), and the increase in birthweight observed must move a significant proportion of otherwise lightweight lambs into a higher range of survival rate.     

Percussion stunning of sheep

Extract

Sir, — As from October 1976, all sheep in this country will have to be stunned prior to slaughter. Until recently it had been widely assumed that some form of electrical stunning would be the only practical method for use in New Zealand freezing works. Although for several years electrical stunning has been used for pigs in this country and other classes of stock overseas, only one meat export works in New Zealand has been stunning sheep electrically as a routine procedure for a complete season.